𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 ✯ 𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑥 ℎ𝑜𝑔𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐙𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐃 in white and blue hues as the rays of sunshine fell upon the layer of ice. The colours of light reflected far into the white winter's sky, the castle almost resembling a sun on its own, but another peculiar thing about the scenery was the silence that lingered in the air. No bird sang, the icicles hanging in the pine trees did not jingle as the wind blew past them, and even the waves of the Eastern Ocean seemed more quiet than usual.

The company of the humans from different worlds halted their horses near the main gate of the castle, and Caspian ─ who had been riding at the front ─ dismounted Destrier before checking if his armour still covered every vital part of his body. He swung the shield off his back and fastened the belts to his arm. This time, they wouldn't get ambushed by a storm of arrows.

Edmund quickly followed Caspian's example with a look of determination in his brown eyes, but Ella, Vittoria, Oliver and George were more reluctant in their movements.

'I am still not entirely convinced of this plan,' Ella said while taking a yellow-feathered arrow out of the quiver and nocking it on the bowstring.

Vittoria readied her bow as well and she took a deep breath to try and fight back her nerves. Her fingers trembled and she hoped if it would come to it, she wouldn't miss.

Caspian cast a short look over his shoulder before turning his attention to the castle in front of them again. 'Just remember we're here to give the others as much time as we can. We have to stall the Winter Lady, forcing her to keep her focus on us and nowhere else.'

'A classic Quidditch technique,' Oliver said, taking his place behind Ella and rolling with his shoulders to loosen his muscles. The shield in his hand was heavy, but if he could stop Quaffles from scoring with his bare hands, he was convinced he could catch ice arrows with a shield as well.

'You better not mess this up, Oliver,' Ella said in an attempt to hide her anxiety from him. 'I am literally putting my life in your hands.' She, of course, couldn't carry a shield as well as handle a bow.

Oliver flashed her small smile. 'Have a little faith in me, love. I won't let anything happen to you.'

'Ready?' Edmund asked, cutting their hushed conversation short and he turned halfway around to look at the four wizards and witches. After everyone nodded, the six of them walked slowly onto the courtyard. The ice crystals within the layer of snow crackled under their firm boots and the sound echoed over the silent place.

The others of the company stayed behind, out of the arrows' range, and though they were still with a lot of people, they actually missed six of them; Peter, Caolán, Lucy, Phoenix, Giulia and Elodie had traveled in secrecy around the castle, hiding within the cave of the cliff to wait for the opportunity to sneak inside Cair Paravel.